How to Throw an Ice Cream Party for Your Little Sweet Tooth

This ice cream party is the cherry on top of fun birthday ideas...

If there’s one kids birthday treat that will satisfy every sweet tooth, big and small, it’s an ice cream party. And since we’re really just a bunch of kids over here at PnP HQ who love edible glitter as much as pretty makeup glitter, we decided to throw the Sundae Funday of our birthday dreams. Our dream ice cream party is inspired by the sweet scent of our Cloud Mine fragrance complete with cotton candy ice cream, unicorn sprinkles, chocolate sparkle pops and pink-and-blue everything. File these decadent scoops under fun birthday ideas to save for future celebrations or Friday nights with the whole fam. 

First, the Flavors 

What could possibly be better than cotton candy at a kid's ice cream party? Chilled cotton candy. It’s just as sweet as the original fluffy stuff but perfect for sticky-hot summer days (without the sticky fingers, in theory). Our favorite thing about this simple DIY Cotton Candy Ice Cream recipe is its sky-blue hue!  

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Petite ‘n Pretty ice cream social without plenty of shades of pink as well as plenty of options including fruity, creamy, dairy-free and vegan — no one should feel excluded from something as happy as an ice cream party! Make your own vegan sorbet with fresh-picked cherries or a 3-minute vegan strawberry ice cream to add a fruity burst to your sundae bar that everyone will enjoy. Or opt for the creamy, coconutty deliciousness of the dairy-free Vanilla Bean by So Delicious. Tie it all together with the berry pretty marbled colors of Talenti’s Vanilla Blueberry Crumble gelato for those who want the best of both fruity and creamy worlds.  

Then, the Toppings 

Start with Sprinkles

It wouldn’t be an ice cream party without sprinkles. And it wouldn’t be a Petite ‘n Pretty ice cream party without pink sprinkles, iridescent sprinkles and even cotton candy-flavored and cloud-shaped sprinkles to celebrate the launch of our new, super yummy Cloud Mine fragrance. 

For Sprinkles, we used:  

• Cotton Candy Kiss Sprinkles 

• Lavender Dreams Edible Glitter Sprinkles

• Regular Pink Sprinkles 

• Blue & White Cloud Sprinkles 

Add Sweet Treats 

Any excuse to indulge in the unique sweets from the candy-crafting pros at Sugarfina is a good excuse. Their gummies and chocolates were the perfect topping for a unique ice cream party the kids will love and the adults will get a kick out of.  

For Sugarfina Gummies, we used: 

• Ice Cream Cone Gummies

• Pink Diamond Gummies 

• Blue Baby Whale Gummies 

• Pink Pineapple Gummies 

For Sugarfina Candies, we used: 

• Birthday Cake Caramels

• Aphrodite Strawberry Chocolates 

• Chocolate Sparkle Pops

• Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Eggs 

Finish Fresh

The last must-have toppings in our build-your-own sundae buffet for birthday party ideas inspired by the notes of Cloud Mine is fresh fruit and whipped vanilla cream. Sticking to our theme, we chose strawberries, currants and cherries for on top — just like the opening fruity fireworks of our favorite scent — but blueberries and bananas work great, too. For a presentation as pretty as ice cream is delicious, sprinkle fresh flower petals over the serving table.

Now, Serve it Up 

Here's a hot tip for keeping your ice cream cool and ice cream party mess-free: pre-scoop. Scooping straight from the ice cream tub is a pain for two reasons: 1) it requires super-human strength at the frozen-solid start, and 2) it turns into a soupy, sticky mess the minute the ice cream starts to melt — and you know that’s going to end up all over the kids’ fingers (and your kitchen) even if you’re the only one doing the scooping. Messes have a way of getting everywhere like that. To keep your Sundae Funday from turning into a Sunday Bummerday, pre-scoop your ice cream flavors onto cookie sheets and pop them in the freezer until party time. This will keep your ice cream cold and make it easier for guests of all ages to transfer their scoops using a large spoon. 

What Will Cloud Mine Inspire Next? 

We’re always dreaming up new ways to make pretty makeup for kids safe, fun and inspiring. When we created Cloud Mine, a fruity-meets-floral fragrance with cotton candy and whipped vanilla notes, we knew it was too delicious to keep bottled up. That’s why it’s not only our signature scent perfect for young creative’s first fragrance in an unbreakable rollerball, but it’s also the sweet smell of Gen Glitter and delicious flavor of 10K Shine Lip Gloss. Like most fun birthday party ideas, this Cloud Mine-inspired Sundae Funday is more fun shared with friends.